Automatic locking and releasing mechanism for transoms or windows



(No Model.)

W. s. ROBINSON & 0. A. 'HAESELEY. AUTOMATIC LOOKING AND RELEASINGMECHANISM FOR TRANSOMS 0R H! v l f hm, H H/ a UNITED STATES PATENTEErcE.

WILLIAM S. ROBINSON AND CHARLES A. HAESELEY, OF FANCY FARM, KENTUCKY.

AUTOMATIC LOCKING AND RELEASING MECHANISM FOR TRANSOMS OR WINDOWS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 595,922, dated December21, 1897.

Application filed August 31, 1897. Serial No- 650,l85. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM S. ROBINSON and CHARLES A. HAESELEY,citizens of the United States, residing at Fancy Farm, in the county ofGraves and State of Kentucky, have invented new and useful Improvementsin Automatic Locking and Releasing Mechanism for Transoms or PivotallySupported WVindow-Sashes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an automatic looking and releasing mechanismfor transoms and pivotally-supported window-sashes that are arranged toswing in a frame.

It is the object of our invention to provide a ratchet journal mechanismthrough which a transom or pivotally-supported sash can be held at anyadjusted position and to provide for operating, locking, and releasingthe sash in a simple manner.

The invention consists in features of construction and novel combinationof parts in a locking and releasing mechanism for transoms orwindow-sashes, as hereinafter described and claimed. i

In the annexed drawings, illustrating the invention, Figure 1 is a frontelevation of a window or transom partly lowered or opened and brokenaway to show the location of the locking journal mechanism. Fig. 2 is anelevation of the journal locking and releasing mechanism from the rearor inner side. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 2 andviewed in the direction of the arrows, showing the parts in a horizontalposition or in the position they would occupy when the window or transomis adapted to swing laterally. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of theratchet-gear. Fig. 5 is a like view of the pawl; and Fig. 6 is asectional view through this sash and its fram e, showing the shiftablepivot.

Reference being had to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the frameof a window or transom, and 2 the sash. In an inner face of the frame,at one side, is a mortise to receive a metal plate 3 and a recessedportion to accommodatethe working mechanisms of our device, which areconfined between the plate 3 and a face-plate 4. The plate 3 may besecured in place by screws or otherwise Fig.

and has a circular opening 5, which, with a similar opening 6 in theface-plate 4, affords Between the plates 3 and 4 there is arrangedv apawl 9 to engage and interlock with the teeth of the ratchet-gear. Thispawl 9 is loosely mounted on a pivot-pin 10, which is secured andsupported in suitable openings provided in the plates 3 and 4:. It willbe observed that the pawl is so arranged as to drop automatically intoengagement with a tooth of the ratchet-gear 8 at one point or another,according to the degree to which the sash 2 is opened, thus securelyholding the sash in its adjusted position. The journal 7 has at itsouter portion a squared end 11, which fits into acorrespondingly-squared opening 11 of a socket-plate 12, that iscountersunk in and secured to one edge of the sash, and thus as the sashis swung toward an opened or closed position the journal 7 and attachedratchetgear 8 will receive a corresponding movement, and the degree atwhich the sash is opened or left open will be regulated by theengagement between the ratchet-gear and pawl 9, which will hold the'sashin any required position.

For the purpose of releasing the pawl 9 from the ratchet-gear 8, so thatthe'sash will be allowed to assume a closed position, we provide thefollowing construction: The ratchetgear 8 has a flanged portion 12",which is provided with a recessed portion 13. Below this recess the rimof the flange is cut away slightly to leave a projecting portion 14, andbelow this part the flange is removed for a considerable space,affording the opening 15. On its periphery the ratchet-gear is providedwith a guide-groove 16, which is curved slightly outward at 17, abovethe recess 13, as shown, and extends downward to a point below therecess 13, or it may be continued to the opening 15. The outer edge ofthe groove 16 is beveled or slanting, as shown at 18, for a purpose tobe presently explained. The pawl 9 has a depending tapering tongue 19,which has at its lower end an outwardly and downwardly extendingguide-finger 20, which is adapted to work in the guide-groove 16. The

distance between the projecting portion 14: and the inner side of theplate 3 is sufficient to allow a space for the tongue 19 to pass throughas the gear is revolved. The upper edge 'of the recess 13 forms ashoulder 21, which in operation is adapted to trip the tongue 19 toraise the pawl 9.

The opposite side or edge of the window or transom is supported orjournaled in the manner described and illustrated in our application,Serial No. 64:3,999, filed July 9, 1897. This is accomplished by meansof a longitudinally-shiftable pivot-pin 26 in a plate 27, that iscountersunk in the edge of the sash, which is also mortised to receivethe said pivot-pin when pushed inward. The inner end of the pivot-pin 26is provided with a head 28, that limits its outward movement. A suitablerecess intersects the pin-receiving mortise, and when the pivot-pin 26is pushed outward, as by a suitable tool or instrument inserted throughsaid recess or opening in the side of the sash, a plug 29 may then bepressed into said recess, at the rear of the pivot-pin 26, to hold it inits projected position. The projecting end of the pivot-pin 26 isreceived in a socket-plate 80, that is mortised or countersunk into aninner face of the frame 1, and thus by means of the journal 7 andpivot-pin 26 the sash 2 is supported or journaled in its frame.

The operation of the device is as follows: The transom or window isturned by pullinga suitable cord or otherwise to open it, therebythrough the engagement of the squared end 11 with the squared opening 11of the socketplate 12, secured in the sash of such transom or window,turning the journal 7, and with it the ratchet-gear 8, the pawl 9sliding overthe teeth of the ratchet in the well-known manner until thetransom or window has been opened to the desired extent, when the pawl 9engages with one of the teeth on the ratchetgear 8 and locks the sash inthat position. Should it be now desired to close the transom, it isfurther turned in the opening direction, when the shoulder or stop 21will engage the tongue 19 and operate to raise it through the recessedportion 13 until the guide-finger 20 passes over the stop 21 and slidesdown the slanting side 18 and drops into the groove 16. At this point astop 22, which may be one of the teeth of the ratchet-gear, engages witha brace-piece 23, which is secured between the plates 3 and 4 andprevents the further turning of the gear, which might disarrange theworking connection of the parts. The transom is now permitted to close,when the ratchet-gear is turned in the reverse direction, and theguide-finger 20 slides in the guidegroove 16, thereby maintaining thepawl in an elevated position to prevent it coming in contact with theteeth of the ratchet-gear. The arrangement of the parts is such that asthe transom or window reaches the closed position the finger 2O arrivesat the opening 15, and the tongue 19, falling therein, permits the pawlto resume its operative relation with the ratchet-gear.

A spring-latch 24: may be secured to the sash and provided with adepending cord 25, which serves at the same time as a means forwithdrawing the said latch and to shift the sash to any requiredposition, whether wholly or partly open.

It has been assumed that the locking journal mechanism at one side ofthe sash and the longitudin ally-shift able pivot-pin at the other sidewill be each arranged at such an elevation that the weight of the sashwill be ordinarily suflicient to move it toward or to a closingposition, when the engagement of the ratchet-gear and pawl is releasedby a suitable pull on the cord. Should the weight of the sash not besufficient, a spring may be provided for the purpose of closing it.

In Fig. 3 we have shown the device turned to the position it wouldoccupy when applied to a transom or window adapted to swing latera lly.In this construction we would use a spring 31, suitably located in thedevice for returning the window to a closed position, and a spring 32,hearing on the pawl 9, to insure positive contact between it and theratchet-gear 8. Either orboth of these springs might be used withadvantage in the construction of window first described.

By means of the longitudinally-shiftable pivot-pin 26 the sash is veryreadily engaged in or disengaged from its frame without disturbing theratchet journal locking mechanratchet-gear having a guide-groove of apawl coacting with said ratchet-gear having a tongue adapted to engagewith the guidegroove, and means operating by the forward turning of theratchet-gear to raise said tongue, and with it the pawl, to bring thetongue into engagement with the guidegroove, whereby, in the reversemovement of the ratchet-gear, the pawl is maintained in an elevatedposition and out of contact with the teeth of the ratchet-gear,substantially as described.

2. In a ratchet-and-pawl locking and releasing mechanism, thecombination with a ratchet-gear having a guide-groove, of a pawlcoacting with said ratchet-gear having a tongue adapted to engage withthe guidegroove, a stop operating by the forward turnin g of theratchet-gear to raise said tongue,and

with it the pawl, to bring the tongue into engagement with theguide-groove, whereby in the reverse movement of the ratchet-gear thepawl is maintained in an elevated position and out of contact with theteeth of the ratchetgear, and means to return the tongue to normalposition and permit automatic reengagement of the pawl and ratchet-gear,substantially as described.

3. In a ratchet-and-pawl locking and releasing mechanism, thecombination with a ratchet-gear, of a flange thereon having a guidegroove, a pawl coacting with the ratchet-gear and having an integraldepending tongue adapted to engage with the guidegroove, and a stop onsaid ratchet-gear operating in the forward turning thereof to raise saidtongue, to bring it into engagement with the guide -groove, whereby, inthe reverse movement of the ratchet-gear, the pawl is maintained in anelevated position and out of contact with the teeth of the ratchet-gear,substantially as described.

4:. In a ratchet-and-pawl locking and releasing mechanism, thecombination with a ratchetgear of a flange thereon having a guide, apawl coacting with the ratchet-gear and having an integral dependingtongue carrying a guide-finger adapted to engage with the guidegroove, astop on said ratchet-gear operating in the forward turning thereof toraise said tongue to bring its guide-finger into engagement with theguide-groove, and means for limitingthe forward turning of theratchetgear, substantially as described.

5. In a ratchet-and-pawl locking and releasing mechanism, thecombination with a ratchetgear, of a flange thereon having a guidegroove, a pawl coacting with the ratchet-gear and having an integraldepending tongue carrying a guide-finger adapted'to engage with theguide-groove, recesses formed in said flanges to permit the tongue to beraised and lowered, a stop on said ratchetgear operating in the forwardturning thereof to raise said tongue to'bring its guide-finger intoengagement with the guide-groove, and means for limiting the forwardturning of the ratchet-gear, the combination being and operatingsubstantially as and in the manner herein set forth.

6. The combination with the frame and sash of a transom or swingingwindow, of a looking and releasing mechanism located in said frame andcomprising a journal engaged with the sash and turning therewith, aratchetgear carried on said journal having a guidegroove, a pawlcoacting with the ratchet-gear and having an integral depending tongueadapted to engage with the guidegroove, means on said ratchet-gearoperating in the forward turning thereof to raise the tongue intoengagement with the guide-groove, and a spring operating on said journaland tending normally to maintain the window or transom closed,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of twosubscribing wit- IIGSSGS.

WILLIAM S. ROBINSON. CHARLES A. HAESELEY. Witnesses:

ALBERT J. HODGES, WILLIAM A. 0124111100.

